Tits and Chickadees (Paridae)
Common Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) - HBW 12, p. 747
French: Mésange bleue
German: Blaumeise
Spanish: Herrerillo Común
Other common names: Blue Tit; African Blue Tit (ultramarinus and cyrenaicae, often with C. teneriffae); Pleske’s Tit (hybrid form “pleskii”)
Taxonomy: Parus caeruleus Linnaeus, 1758, Sweden.
Until recently present genus normally subsumed into a broad Parus, and many authors still prefer that treatment. Forms a superspecies with C. teneriffae and C. cyanus. Previously considered conspecific with former, but differs in mitochondrial DNA; alternatively, races ultramarinus and cyrenaicae alone frequently treated within C. teneriffae; further study required. Hybridizes with C. cyanus, especially following years when latter expands W in irruptive manner (hybrids described as a separate taxon, “pleskii”); hybridizes rare.. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Parus caeruleus Linnaeus,1758. Sweden.
Until recently present genus normally subsumed into a broad Parus, and many authors still prefer that treatment. Forms a superspecies with C. teneriffae and C. cyanus. Previously considered conspecific with former, but differs in mitochondrial DNA; alternatively, races ultramarinus and cyrenaicae alone frequently treated within C. teneriffae; further study required. Hybridizes with C. cyanus, especially following years when latter expands W in irruptive manner (hybrids described as a separate taxon, “pleskii”); hybridizes rarely also with Parus major. Nominate race intergrades with obscurus, ogliastrae and satunini; also, satunini intergrades with persicus, and it is uncertain which of these races breeds in NW Syria. Eleven subspecies recognized.
Until recently present genus normally subsumed into a broad Parus, and many authors still prefer that treatment. Forms a superspecies with C. teneriffae and C. cyanus. Previously considered conspecific with former, but differs in mitochondrial DNA; alternatively, races ultramarinus and cyrenaicae alone frequently treated within C. teneriffae; further study required. Hybridizes with C. cyanus, especially following years when latter expands W in irruptive manner (hybrids described as a separate taxon, “pleskii”); hybridizes rarely also with Parus major. Nominate race intergrades with obscurus, ogliastrae and satunini; also, satunini intergrades with persicus, and it is uncertain which of these races breeds in NW Syria. Eleven subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- obscurus (Prazák, 1894) - British Is.
- caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) - N, C & E Europe (S to N Spain, Italy, N & C Greece), W & N Asia Minor.
- ogliastrae (E. J. O. Hartert, 1905) - S Iberia, Corsica and Sardinia.
- obscurus (Prazák, 1894) - British Is.
- caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) - N, C & E Europe (S to N Spain, Italy, N & C Greece), W & N Asia Minor.
- ogliastrae (E. J. O. Hartert, 1905) - S Iberia, Corsica and Sardinia.
- balearicus (Jordans, 1913) - Mallorca.
- calamensis (Parrot, 1908) - S Greece, Cyclades, Crete and Rhodes.
- orientalis Zarudny & Loudon, 1905 - SE European Russia.
- satunini Zarudny, 1908 - Crimea, Caucasus, E Turkey, N Jordan, NW Iran, possibly also SE Turkey, NW Syria and N Iraq.
- raddei (Zarudny, 1908) - N Iran.
- persicus (Blanford, 1873) - SW Iran.
- ultramarinus (Bonaparte, 1841) - NW Africa from Morocco E to N Tunisia.
- cyrenaicae (E. J. O. Hartert, 1922) - NE Libya.
- Least Concern
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Young Blue Tits are fledging. Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (ssp caeruleus)
Thomas Voekler 20 May 2009 1 year ago 25 sec 4.6 -
Young Blue Tit leave their nest in Dülmen-Merfeld North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Christian Wiesmann 15 May 2009 33 weeks ago 30 sec 4.6 -
7Young Blue Tit in a hole made by a woodpecker by Dülmen-Merfeld North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Christian Wiesmann 15 May 2009 33 weeks ago 43 sec 4.3 -
An adult blue tit arrives in the hollow of a common elder shrub (Sambucus nigra) where the begging calls of young birds being au Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (ssp caeruleus)
Thomas Voekler 8 May 2009 1 year ago 19 sec 4.2 -
A bird bathing Vilanova i la Geltru, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Pere Sugranyes 12 February 2008 1 year ago 37 sec 4.2 -
A bird feeding on the tree. Borsbeek, Antwerp Province, Belgium
Jeremiusz Trzaska 27 September 2009 24 weeks ago 20 sec 4
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This species is resident in my garden in SW France Landes, Aquitanie, France
Nicole Bouglouan 5 March 2005 27 weeks ago 4.3 -
Courtship feeding between the mates. The female (right) begs food with fluttering wings, as the chicks. Landes, Aquitanie, France
Nicole Bouglouan 10 April 2005 27 weeks ago 4 -
Sitting on a clothesline Berlin, Germany
Susanne Rintelen 24 January 2010 31 weeks ago 4 -
A young Blue Tit is fledging. Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (ssp caeruleus)
Thomas Voekler 20 May 2009 1 year ago 4 -
A young Blue Tit is on the point of leaving the nest cavity. Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (ssp caeruleus)
Thomas Voekler 20 May 2009 1 year ago 4 -
An adult blue tit arrives in the hollow of a common elder shrub (Sambucus nigra) where the youngsters begging for food. Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (ssp caeruleus)
Thomas Voekler 14 May 2009 1 year ago 4
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A male singing Antwerp Province, Belgium
(ssp caeruleus)
Laurent Demongin 15 April 2000 11 weeks ago 4 -
Song of a male Antwerp Province, Belgium
(ssp caeruleus)
Laurent Demongin 15 April 2010 11 weeks ago 4 -
One bird calling Antwerp Province, Belgium
(ssp caeruleus)
Laurent Demongin 15 April 2010 11 weeks ago 4 -
3 different kinds of call of one bird Antwerp Province, Belgium
(ssp caeruleus)
Laurent Demongin 15 April 2010 11 weeks ago 4 -
Song of a male Forest Gate, London, England, UK
(ssp obscurus)
Stuart Fisher 6 February 2010 28 weeks ago 4 -
Song Forest Gate, London, England, UK
(ssp obscurus)
Stuart Fisher 2 January 2010 34 weeks ago 4
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